Time System
How does time work in Japanese?
You must know the first twelve numbers in order to learn this.
Here's a list. The first column are some numbers. If you pronounce them like that when you use them for time, then that's bad. The list on the right is how you pronounce them if you're saying the time, but ONLY the time. Get it?
You must know the first twelve numbers in order to learn this.
Here's a list. The first column are some numbers. If you pronounce them like that when you use them for time, then that's bad. The list on the right is how you pronounce them if you're saying the time, but ONLY the time. Get it?
SHI / YON
NANA KYUU | YO
SHICHI KU |
So, to say for instance 2:00, then:
1) Get the number. For instance, TWO.
2) Check it's not on the list above.
2a) If if is, remember to pronounce it from the GREEN list, not the RED.
3) Add JI じ onto it.
4) There you go!
So:
二じ = 2:00
However, it is better to use the KANJI for JI. So instead of drawing じ, draw 時 instead.
So it's better to write 2:00 as:
二時
rather than
二じ
Got it?
Now we'll get onto minutes.
For every 5 minutes, put ふん
For every 10 minutes, put ぷん
So, if you were to write 2:05, you'd do:
二時五ふん
two ji five fun
But if you were to write 2:10, you'd do:
二時十ぷん
two ji ten pun
Again though, it's always best to use kanji when you can. So the kanji for minute is 分.
So to use this, replace the 'fun' or 'pun' part for the kanji. The reason I show you how to do it in hiragana first is so you know where the pronunciation is.
So to write 2:05, it's best to do:
二時五分
rather than
二時五ふん
I hope you learnt something from this, and please post your feedback here!
1) Get the number. For instance, TWO.
2) Check it's not on the list above.
2a) If if is, remember to pronounce it from the GREEN list, not the RED.
3) Add JI じ onto it.
4) There you go!
So:
二じ = 2:00
However, it is better to use the KANJI for JI. So instead of drawing じ, draw 時 instead.
So it's better to write 2:00 as:
二時
rather than
二じ
Got it?
Now we'll get onto minutes.
For every 5 minutes, put ふん
For every 10 minutes, put ぷん
So, if you were to write 2:05, you'd do:
二時五ふん
two ji five fun
But if you were to write 2:10, you'd do:
二時十ぷん
two ji ten pun
Again though, it's always best to use kanji when you can. So the kanji for minute is 分.
So to use this, replace the 'fun' or 'pun' part for the kanji. The reason I show you how to do it in hiragana first is so you know where the pronunciation is.
So to write 2:05, it's best to do:
二時五分
rather than
二時五ふん
I hope you learnt something from this, and please post your feedback here!
